Ballot Drop Box Details
The Delaware County Bureau of Elections has worked with municipalities across Delaware County to provide safe, secure, ADA-compliant locations for ballot drop boxes.
The ballot drop box at the Government Center in Media will open with the first mailing of ballots (expected late Sept. or early Oct.) The remaining drop boxes will open Oct. 14. All but two drop boxes will be accessible 24/7, with two boxes (Ridley Park and Chadds Ford) having limited weekday hours. Review the complete list of drop box locations on our Ballot Drop Box Locations page.
What is a Ballot Drop Box?
Ballot drop boxes are large metal receptacles that look similar to traditional USPS and other commercial mailboxes. These drop boxes are designed for only one use: the return of vote-by-mail ballots by Delaware County voters. Please note that no postage is required to return a vote-by-mail ballot.
In Delaware County these boxes are white, with red and blue lettering, bearing the Delaware County Seal on both sides.
Who Can Use a Ballot Drop Box?
All Delaware County voters that have requested and received a vote-by-mail ballot (either a no-excuse mail-in ballot or a traditional absentee ballot) are free to use any ballot drop box located within the County of Delaware. Unlike the requirement that in-person voters must vote at a specific polling place, Delaware County voters are free to use any secured ballot drop box in the county.
Can Others Return My Vote-by-Mail Ballot (3rd Party Delivery)
Typically, no. Return of a ballot by anyone other than the voter is prohibited unless the person returning the ballot is rendering assistance to a disabled voter or an emergency absentee voter. Such assistance requires a declaration signed by the voter and by the person rendering assistance. This form is listed below. It can be submitted in-person at a Voter Service Center or mailed to Delaware County Bureau of Elections, 2501 Seaport Dr. Suite BH120 Chester, PA 19013.
Third Party Vote-by-Mail Ballot Pick Up & Return Authorization Form
Security of Ballots and Ballot Drop Boxes
All secured ballot drop boxes are under 24/7 video surveillance. Counterfeiting, forging, tampering with, or destroying ballots is a second-degree misdemeanor pursuant to sections 1816 and 1817 of the Pennsylvania Election Code (25 P.S. §§ 3516 and 3517.
In the event that a ballot drop box is full, not functioning, or damaged in any fashion, voters are asked to please contact the Bureau of Elections at (610) 891-4673 or DelcoElection@co.delaware.pa.us.
Secrecy Envelopes & Naked Ballots
In additional to the vote-by-mail ballot, voters will receive instructions and two envelopes that will be necessary to use to correctly return their vote-by-mail ballot to the Bureau of Elections.
All completed ballots must be enclosed in the secrecy envelope provided to them, sealed, and placed in the larger return envelope. The return envelope MUST be signed. If the ballot is not placed in the secrecy envelope or sealed properly, or the return envelope is not signed and sealed, the vote will not be counted. Such ballots are called “naked ballots.”
Ballot Drop Box Locations
A comprehensive listing of all ballot drop box locations can be found here: Ballot Drop Box Locations [Updated 9/2/2024]
Prefer an interactive map of ballot drop box locations? Click here: Ballot Drop Box Map [Updated 9/2/2024]
Looking for a downloadable PDF? Click here: Ballot Drop Box List [Updated 9/2/2024]